J&K political parties criticise Centre’s decision to give more powers to LG

Srinagar, July 13: Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday criticised the government’s move to amend J&K reorganisation Act 2019 and giving more powers to Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory.

Those who opposed the move included two former chief ministers, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari and CPI (M)’s MY Tarigami.

NC Vice President, Omar Abdullah said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better than a "powerless, rubber stamp CM".

"Another indicator that elections are around the corner in J-K. This is why a firm commitment to laying out the timeline for the restoration of full, undiluted statehood for J-K is a prerequisite for these elections. The people of J-K deserve better than a powerless, rubber stamp CM who will have to beg the LG to get his/her peon appointed," Omar Abdullah posted on X.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter and her media advisor, Iltija Mufti, said the order seeks to disempower the powers of an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir.

“At a time when there’s been considerable speculation about GOI holding elections in J&K this new MHA order & farmaan widening the already unbridled powers of an unelected LG make a few things abundantly clear,” Iltija Mufti said in a post on X.

She said the order makes it clear that assembly elections will be conducted this year itself, and that the Centre “is well aware if & when state elections are held in J&K a non-BJP government will be elected”.

“The order seeks to disempower the powers of the next J&K state government only because BJP doesn’t want to cede control or lose its iron grip over Kashmiris. Statehood is out of the question. An elected government in J&K will be reduced to a municipality,” she added.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Vikar Rasool Wani termed the move a “murder of democracy”.

“The murder of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir is evident before the restoration of proper democracy and statehood. MHA gave more powers, including the Police, Law and order, and the transfer of officers etc have been vested in the LG,” Wani said on X.

Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari appealed to Jammu and Kashmir’s political parties to come together and unitedly raise voices against the move.

“This new decision aims at making the state hollow in which no powers will be left for an elected government… The people of Jammu and Kashmir do not support this,” Bukhari said while addressing a press conference. He said that the a "powerless assembly" will not be acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“If they want the chief minister to be a toothless tiger and befool the people, then I do not think this will solve any of the issues confronting the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

The Apni Party chief said this is not an issue that affects any one political party.

“We appeal to all parties to shun political differences and come together on this issue. If we cannot stand united today, then we will never be. We should ensure that the statehood that we get is not hollow and has all powers to serve people,” he said.

“We have to be united to serve the interests of the people,” Bukhari said.

CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami said it is high time for all political parties to “unitedly” oppose the order.

“The recent amendments by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, constitute another brazen assault on the remaining nominal rights, virtually downsizing a historic state to the status of a bigger municipality. It is high time for all political parties to unitedly oppose the autocratic order and demand its revocation,” he said on X.

The Ministry of Home Affairs amended the rules of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 giving more powers to the Lieutenant Governor of the erstwhile state.